The Meeker herald., 1887-09-17

I
Frank Barton aud Burt Parker was
gotten up and started out in the early
part o! this week Tor the bear country.
On reaching their destination the party
discovered lots OF bear sign, but, al
though they hunted diligently for sew
eral days they were unable TO bag any
game. In the meantime the hunters
ran out Of provisions and Messrs. Edgar
and barton were dispatched to town for
y fresh supply. They bought u sack OF
Hour, some beans, bacon, eggs, butter,
canned fruits. - small kes OF molasses,
and some beer, which they put on the
pack saddle and started back for camp.
As they started late, darkness came on
them before they reached their destina.
tion they concluded 10 camp for the
night. They selected u nice spot near
some tall trees Oh this side OF the noun
tain, unsadiled the horses. put this pack
Mt tho foot Of u tree and prepared to
make thinEs comfortable.
Morgan led the horses 10 spring near
by To water them. and TO hobbie them
where there wits grass. and Frank went
skirmislinc for dry wood Ia make lire.
They returned TO their camping place
together. and were grievousiy surprised.
1t WAS dark, but they could see that
something was The matter III camp rs
they came through the brush. when
they emerged into the clearing big
plehald lump oi something came rolling
toward them. II erowi.d In "a very ter
lrifylng manner, aud II WAS too big 10 bc
; stepped by revolver bullets.
Morgan and Frank had no weapons
other than their rcyoiyers. and they did
not Try la stop the singular monster.
Morgan went up the nearest tree and
Frank threw hi, arniul Of wood at the
pleba!d object and skipped. lie 20; up
another tree. just In time To escape a
vicious blow of u paw tia; made the
bark lis.
The plrbald object growlei aud went
. back Ia the place where the provisions
hal been left. Th, two men Ia the trees
then made out two large animals rolling
and ,unbling abou, In camp. They
were black and white. but tho arrange
men, of color seemed 10 b. variable.
The more they rolled the bigger grew
the white patches. They wef. evidently
having great deal Of fun with some
thing. Morgan started down ifom his
perch ,o investigate. but hi, boot, made
u noise. and Frank shouted 10 shin back
M the tree. lie Got back. On. of III.
things In black and white sallopei
lumbcringly toward III. tree, made n
slap AT II. and wen, back.
When the moon cam. M and the light
struggled through the trees. Frank and
Morgan saw Two large grizzly bears
making wreck Of the things In cainp.
tws-~~ s..s s~~-sess t~ s.s,~ ~ssts ~ tho
molas,rs krg. Ripped open the ncnr bag
smashed the eggs. eaten tho bacon. and
. got themselves smcarcd with buitci
and moia-scs. As they rolled about on
their backs trying In discover some way
Of getting Mt the inside of the beer bot
ties. they covered themselves with ilour
that stuck In the moi.sscs. Tho men
III the trees tried their rcyolycrs on the
bears. but tho excitement and cS.riion
lai ra,il..! their nerves. and their shot,
told only occasionally. The rcsul; Of the
firing WAS 10 bring both bear, gfowlin:
, 10 III. trees. aud In their rage they made
efforts to climb up Tint were no, ~ ab.
sugily unsuccessful ~ Ia i- rcassuring.
Morgan and Frank concluded that 1t
would bc safer 10 let the bears run tho
camp in their own way for the rest OF
the night
Tn. moinssss orgic lasted until near
daylight. and the twn men were abou,
ready TO drop from their pctchcs when
they saw the disrrpu,ablc looking ieyel-
icrs Pick themselves ZIP and move away.
In rolling about the bears hal got ihcir
faces covered with mass of molasses.
leaves. dirt. and forest debris, and were
nearly blinded. They bluni.rcd through
the chapparal. bumped their heads
agains, trees, gruwlci ut every bump.
and made n great row getting away. A
series Of furious grcwls and the crash
Ing of branches told ,ha, they had gone
head first over the brink OF prccipicc
near by.
Then Mcssrs. Edgar and Barton drop.
pci to the ground. When the stiffness
OF their limbs wore away. they drank a
bottle Of beer each. caught their horses
and cleared out for the camp Of the
hunting party. where they related their
experience. and. after hasty breakfast.
returned to the scene Of their recent adj
venture. accompanied by all the men,
bcrs OF tho hunting party heavily
armed. The trail Of the bears was fol-
lowed until the spot was reached where
they had tumbicl over the cliff aud on
looking down the other side Captain
Armit discovered both bear about ono
hundred yard, below wedgcd between
two huge rocks apparently dead. The
boys lost no time in getting down to
where the bears were laying which
proved TO I've two Of the largest grizzlies
ever seen In this part of the country.
Each had several bullet holes In his car
cass. but whether the bears died from
the effects the bullets. the fall over the
prccipicc. or from disappointment at
not getting away with the beer was a
point the boys could not settle among
themselves. but Captain Armit proposes
to get together a number OF our most
eminent bear hunters and have this
point settled. Messrs. Edgar and Bar.